Research: The John Rylands Library

The John Rylands Library at the University of Manchester holds the Stephen Joseph Theatre Papers; the most significant collection of material pertaining to the British theatre pioneer and the founder of Theatre in the Round at the Library Theatre.
Stephen Joseph had close connections with the University of Manchester and, following his death in 1967, his papers were gifted to the John Rylands Library by the playwright and Joseph's close friend, David Campton.

The Stephen Joseph Papers relate to Stephen Joseph's entire life including the formation of the Studio Theatre Company, which formed the basis for Theatre in the Round at the Library Theatre, Scarborough (now the Stephen Joseph Theatre) and the Victoria Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent (now the New Vic).

The wide-ranging collection includes correspondence, notes, programmes, designs and play scripts amongst others with material relating to Scarborough between 1955 and Stephen Joseph's death in 1967.

The Stephen Joseph Papers are regarded as one of the most important collections of material relating to this pioneer of British Theatre during the 1950s and 1960s.

If you are researching Stephen Joseph, you can find information relating to resources and archives in the Stephen Joseph section of the website here.
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The Scarborough pages of A Round Town are associated with The Library Theatre / Stephen Joseph Collection at Scarborough Library - which has been catalogued, curated and expanded by Simon Murgatroyd - and The Ayckbourn Collection. Facilitated by Simon Murgatroyd M.A. and donated by Sir Alan and Lady Ayckbourn to Scarborough Museums and Galleries in 2023, this collection of material celebrates the contribution of Alan Ayckbourn, Stephen Joseph and theatre in the round to Scarborough's theatrical history and heritage.